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Use your summer holiday to give back and gain experience when you join us to volunteer with children in Sri Lanka. You’ll work in kindergartens and daycare centres, and support the work of local teachers and caregivers. Your focus will be on helping the children learn through play, and doing renovation work.

The centres we work with in Sri Lanka are overcrowded, and teachers desperately need helping hands. You’ll support them by teaching English with songs and flashcards and playing games with the children. You’ll also add value to your placement with creative projects. This can include painting a colourful mural, fixing up playground equipment, or planting a garden.

You’ll live and work with teenagers your age in one of several small towns along the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. We’ll have supervised activities planned for evenings and weekends where you can learn more about Sri Lankan culture.

High School Specials > Sri Lanka > Childcare & Community Work

Total

When you apply you only pay $295, which comes off the total price.

Looking to do more than one project? Call us on (+1) 212 244 7234 to see if we can offer a discount.

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Project Overview

Trip Format:

High School Specials -
Hassle-free, pre-planned trips for 15-18 year olds that help you step out of your comfort zone

Personalized MyProjectsAbroad website, with all the information you need about your project, accommodation and destination

A free cultural awareness course

Membership to our volunteer social media groups, to share information and to get in touch

Organized weekend tourism trips

Dedicated full-time staff members with you 24 hours a day

What's not included?

Flights

Visa costs (where applicable)

Is volunteer work in Sri Lanka for teenagers right for me?

If you’re a teenager with a healthy dose of wanderlust, this project is the perfect opportunity to travel safely. It’s also a great way to gain childcare experience, which could help your future career.

You’ll assist local teachers and caregivers at daycare centers along the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. Here the main goal is to help children learn through play while their parents go to work.

Are you playful, curious about other cultures and enjoy the antics of little ones? Then you will have the time of your life as a Childcare & Community volunteer in Sri Lanka!

During the weekend we will take you to visit one of the famous palm fringed beaches or to one of the spectacular ancient cities. All of these activities take place in a group and under supervision of local Projects Abroad staff members.

What will I do as a high school childcare volunteer in Sri Lanka?

This project is all about helping children learn through play at daycare centres and kindergartens in Sri Lanka. Your tasks will include:

Help teachers arrange and execute educational activities

Make sure children practise good hygiene every day

Create resources like educational murals that the school can use for many years to come

Explore Sri Lanka and learn more about the culture with your fellow volunteers

Your work will mainly focus on:

Educational activities

Because many of these daycare centres are overcrowded, caregivers often aren’t able to pay attention to each child equally. You will be an extra pair of hands and eyes, helping them reach more children throughout the day.

You will also do activities like:

Help children learn the English alphabet through songs, games and flashcards

Organise arts and crafts to encourage their creativity

Play sports to get kids active and working on hand-eye coordination

Read to children to help improve literacy

Your Projects Abroad supervisor will have loads of activity ideas to share with you. Plus you can brainstorm with fellow volunteers to come up with new ones of your own. You will also have the local teachers supervising and helping you.

Make sure the children practise good hygiene every day

You can help encourage better personal hygiene by using fun activities. You can help teach children proper handwashing techniques or how to brush their teeth effectively twice a day.

Community work

You will also be able to add a bit of value to your placement through your own creative talents by helping with projects such as:

Paint colourful murals with an educational message

Decorate a classroom

Renovate playground equipment

Plant a garden

Make flash cards, posters, and other educational material.

Exploring Sri Lanka

Finally, this project is also an opportunity for you to travel, learn, and grow in a safe environment. During your evenings, we will help you learn more about Sri Lankan culture through workshops and performances.

Over the weekend, you will get a chance to see a bit more of the country when we take you and your new friends on a trip to Kandy.

Where interns work

Our Childcare & Community High School Special is based along the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. You’ll work in a group in various small towns about 2 hours from Colombo, focusing your efforts at a kindergarten or daycare centre. These centres are overcrowded and understaffed.

You will be amazed at the natural beauty of your surroundings, as well as the ancient cities, towns, and temples you’ll encounter on excursions with our staff.

Panadura

Panadura is a coastal town located around 40km south of Colombo. It’s a large town, with beautiful beaches that are popular with visitors and locals alike. There is an ancient Buddhist temple, over 200 years old.

Kalutara

Kalutara District is located in the south west of Sri Lanka. It’s famous for its beautiful beaches, forest reserves, rivers, and the bustling city of Kalutara.

Negombo

Negombo is a large city just north of Colombo.

What are the aims and impact of this project?

The aim of our Childcare & Community High School Special in Sri Lanka is to enrich the lives of young children from disadvantaged communities. We do this through fun educational activities and a focus on improving personal hygiene.

The daycare centres and kindergartens we work with are often overcrowded and don’t have enough resources. Teachers and caregivers often struggle to give attention to each child equally. You’ll support the work of local staff by helping the children learn through play and running fun activities.

You’ll also help improve children’s learning environments through gardening, playground renovation, and creating classroom resources. Having a colourful and healthy environment is a great way to inspire creativity and curiosity in children.

Creating spaces for cultural exchange and growth for you is another important reason we run this project. During your time on the programme, you’ll learn about Sri Lankan culture first-hand by living and working closely with locals.

Join us as a teenage Childcare & Community volunteer in Sri Lanka and learn more about a new culture while helping educate local children.

I specifically chose to volunteer in Sri Lanka as I wanted to do something completely different this summer. I wanted to have an adventure and make a difference and, for me, Sri Lanka ticked all the boxes.

Volunteer review

From the minute I arrived at the lodge, surrounded on three sides by dense jungle, and on the fourth, a huge piranha-packed
river, I knew that my stay here would be unforgettable.

From the minute I arrived at the lodge, surrounded on three sides by dense jungle, and on the fourth, a huge piranha-packed
river, I knew that my stay here would be unforgettable.

From the minute I arrived at the lodge, surrounded on three sides by dense jungle, and on the fourth, a huge piranha-packed
river, I knew that my stay here would be unforgettable.

Management Plans

We set out the aims and objectives of our projects in documents called Management Plans. We use them to properly plan the work you’ll do. They also help us measure and evaluate our achievements and impact each year.

Ultimately, our Management Plans help us make our projects better. This in turn means you get to be part of something that makes a real impact where it’s needed. Read more about our Management Plans.

Measuring Our Impact

Every year, thousands of High School Special volunteers and interns actively make a difference around the world. During their time abroad, they contribute towards achieving long-term goals and make a long-lasting positive impact on the communities where they work.

FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION

You'll stay with a host family in or around Colombo. They will welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture. We believe that this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Sri Lanka and have a truly unique experience.

We will always try to let you live alongside at least one other Projects Abroad volunteer or intern at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.

SAFETY AND STAFF SUPPORT

Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have all the extra support you need as a young person travelling abroad. Our Projects Abroad staff are there for you 24 hours a day during the week and over weekends to provide constant support and guidance. Our staff also make sure you feel comfortable and safe at your placement and accommodation. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.

Meet the team in Sri Lanka

Gishan Perera

Country Director

Gishan became part of the Sri Lankan team in May 2006. Before he joined Projects Abroad, he gained experience in many different fields, such as IT, Agriculture and Travel and Tourism. Gishan took over as the Country Director for Sri Lanka in October 2013, he is a very enthusiastic person who enjoys sharing his knowledge of the Sri Lankan way of life.

Meet the team in Sri Lanka

Aruni Jayawardane

Aruni, a Sri Lankan who is Zambian-born, joined the Projects Abroad team in 2012. Aruni works closely with all Teaching and Care volunteers. She helps with providing useful resources to support the Care & Teaching Management Plans, giving a focus to volunteers' contributions at their placements. She is involved in the planning of the High School Specials and other two-week group trips each year. Aruni spends her leisure time exploring and rediscovering Sri Lanka.

Meet the team in Sri Lanka

Rasmi Ahamed

Assistant Accountant

Rasmi is from a popular tourist destination in Sri Lanka called Arugambay. He studied accounting at the Mercury Institute of Management and joined Projects Abroad in September 2014. Rasmi is a keen sportsman and he often plays cricket for his district. His favourite sports are cricket and football.

Meet the team in Sri Lanka

Amir Jurangpathy

Volunteer Coordinator

Amir is of Indonesian descent, and was born and raised in Sri Lanka. He joined Projects Abroad in June 2016 and is passionate about the welfare of people. Amir is an aspiring chef and enjoys playing cricket and practicing Muay Thai in his spare time.

Meet the team in Sri Lanka

Johann Rebeira

Volunteer Coordinator

Johann was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka and studied a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and mass communication. He joined Projects Abroad in June 2015 after having previously worked for another NGO and humanitarian organisation. Johann is a foodie and is passionate about travel, blogging and photography. During his free time you will find him singing, playing the piano, swimming, attending musical theatre or watching a good game of rugby.

Meet the team in Sri Lanka

Mohamed Niyas

Volunteer Coordinator

Mohamed was born in Hambantota on the south coast of Sri Lanka. Before joining Projects Abroad in June 2016, he worked for the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research. Mohamed enjoys photography, playing volleyball and painting in his spare time.

Meet the team in Sri Lanka

Dinusha Thirimanna

Medical Supervisor

Dinusha studied IT and project management at Ananda College in Sri Lanka. He joined Projects Abroad in the summer of 2015 after having previously worked at a financial services company. In his spare time, he enjoys travelling around Sri Lanka, spending time with friends, swimming, and playing pool and cricket.

Meet the team in Sri Lanka

Yunara Satharasasinghe

Volunteer Coordinator

Yunara studied psychology and counselling through the National University of Ireland, and human resource management at the Institute of Personnel Management in Sri Lanka. She is passionate about drama and theatre, and trained professionally at the Shakespeare Centre in Sri Lanka. Yunara joined Projects Abroad in September 2016 and enjoys working with volunteers from all over the world.

Meet the team in Sri Lanka

Anu Rajapakse

Project Supervisor

Anu graduated with a postgraduate diploma in IT and human rights. She joined Projects Abroad in June 2011 and enjoys interacting with and helping the volunteers. Anu is a creative and energetic person who enjoys a good challenge.

Meet the team in Sri Lanka

Thami Bhakana

Volunteer Advisor

Thami was born in Worcester but has lived in Cape Town for most of her life. She has a degree in tourism management and previously spent time volunteering with disabled children at a home before joining Projects Abroad in February 2016. She loves to explore new places and was grateful that her first trip overseas was the Philippines, one of the world’s most welcoming countries. When travelling, she recommends that everyone go with an open mind and a willingness to embrace their new environment. In her free time, Thami enjoys reading motivational books or novels, watching movies and listening to music.

Meet the team in Sri Lanka

Christelle Beauviche-Shoulder

Volunteer Advisor

Christelle joined Projects Abroad as a Volunteer Advisor in September 2013. Previously, she enjoyed teaching French to children and worked for many years as a Personal Assistant. She studied English Literature and Languages at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Christelle is from France but has also lived in England and in the United States. In her free time, she likes spending time with her family, painting, dancing and hiking.

Meet the team in Sri Lanka

Gabriela Estrada

Volunteer Advisor

Gabriela was born in Guadalajara, she has a degree in Foreign Languages. She has worked as an English teacher and translator for several years and she joined the Projects Abroad team in 2016. She loves spending time with her family and friends, reading, going to concerts and cultural events. Gabriela has had the opportunity to travel through South America and Western Europe.

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